Easy Rider
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Will a chance meeting at a convenience store lead her to helping him lose some inhibition? JJ/Hotch. Written for floatingamoeba's birthday! ONESHOT


_**Author's Note: This story is a birthday gift for Floating Amoeba. I hope you like it!**_

_**I want to thank our loyal readers that are sticking with us. I know my postings are sporadic these days and I apologize for it. I've received a couple of negative anonymous reviews over that very issue. Real life, especially mine, is complicated. Going from a loving two parent household to a single parent with a husband fighting in a dangerous war is difficult. I'm not asking for sympathy, just please be patient. I promise, I'm writing as fast as I can, but I want to bring you guys something of quality instead of garbage I wrote on the fly.**_

_**Also, we have two new open discussion threads. One is called, "Cyclones, Snowmageddon, and Egyptian Uprisings, OH MY!" Feel free to leave your best wishes for our friends in Australia and throughout the US suffering from the ravaging affects of Mother Nature. **_

_**And finally, as some of you may or may not know, there are some changes coming for our favorite show and we have opened a "Show Spoilers" thread for readers and authors to discuss their take on episodes and upcoming plotlines.**_

_**As ever, I don't own Criminal Minds.**_

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**Easy Rider**

Flipping up the collar of her well-worn leather jacket, she smiled as she inhaled as the undeniable scent of aged leather surrounded her. Smiling at the cashier as she handed back her change, JJ picked up her black helmet from the counter and turned.

The gorgeous spring day was calling her name. Rarely without Henry, this weekend her parents had asked for the toddler for the day, and she'd only been too happy to award the grandparents a day with her little man.

Not that she didn't adore being with her son. She did. And always would.

But the opportunity for her and her Harley to travel the open road didn't present itself often, and, honestly, she was more than a little anxious to take advantage of it.

It was those thoughts that made her careless as she walked blindly out the convenience store door, not paying attention to the foot traffic coming towards her. Suddenly, meeting a hard chest and feeling her leather shrouded hips surrounded by strong hands, she stuttered an embarrassed, "I'm sorry."

"JJ?" an awed familiar deep voice asked.

She knew that resonant timber. It haunted her dreams. "Hotch," she returned carefully, hoping she'd kept her voice steady. She felt his astonished gaze travel over her body, his eyes hot. She supposed it was a shock, seeing the prim and proper Jennifer Jareau decked out in tight black leather pants and a studded leather jacket. Her hair would have been the only thing about her appearance that seemed in place; it was pulled up in her typical pony tail. The rest of her, though; that would have been a surprise.

"I can't believe that's you," Hotch replied, gently moving them to the side as he realized that they now blocked the double glass doors of the store. "You look incredible." And she was...molded black leather against each of her curves only highlighted her attractive body. "I didn't know you rode..." He paused as he glanced at her outfit once again. "At least, I assume you're riding."

"No, Hotch," JJ teased, unable to resist the very unique opportunity. "These are just my man catching clothes," she laughed.

"Where are the other men chained up?" Hotch deadpanned, arching one brow as he pretended to glance around the small store.

"To the back of my hog," she shrugged, winking at him.

"So you do ride?" Hotch said with a faint smile, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'd never have guessed."

"Truthfully, I'm just getting back into it. But, yeah, I ride. My dad taught me years ago," JJ smiled, shrugging her shoulders beneath her jacket.

"Just getting back to it?" Hotch asked as he cocked his head.

"Wasn't on Will's list of preapproved activities for me...he made one rule and mandate too many, and I guided him toward the door about three months ago," JJ explained easily, never missing a beat.

"I didn't know," Hotch shook his head, resisting the urge to drop his jaw. "Penelope never mentioned a thing to any of us."

"I asked her not to; I hear you guys have had a pretty busy streak lately. I was fine and there wasn't any need to alarm anybody. Right now, I'm just getting to know myself again to be honest. I grew up on the farm dirt biking and four wheeling...being on a Harley feels like second nature to me. It's freeing."

Smiling faintly, Hotch shook his head slightly. "I wouldn't know. The riskiest thing I've ever been in the driver's seat of is my SUV."

"Really?" JJ asked, not very surprised at his admission. Aaron Hotchner had never really appeared to be the dare devil sort of man. He was not sedate, exactly...just cautious.

"Why do I get the feeling that I just moved into the "boring man" category in your mind?" Hotch grinned ruefully.

"What? No!" JJ sputtered, her eyes widening on the hard planes of Hotch's handsome face. Blinking she stared up at him, horrified that she might have offended him.

"It's okay," Hotch replied, holding up a hand. "I have sort of allowed myself to fall in a rut these last couple of years."

"You aren't the only one," JJ soothed, leaning her shoulder against the nearby doorframe. "One of the primary reasons that I broke things off with Will is that, day by day, I felt like he was chipping away at the qualities that made me who I am. Until finally," she continued, remembering that moment of clarity when she'd decided to take her life back into her own hands, "I said, 'Screw this! Enough!' I had to claw my way out of that relationship and back to the person I wanted to be, but I did it. You can, too."

"Are you trying to get me to walk on the wild side, JJ?" Hotch asked, his dark eyes flashing in the early morning sun.

"Maybe," JJ drawled, smiling slowly as an idea slowly formed. "Where's Jack?"

"Jack is at a weekend sleepover. I was actually on my way home from our latest case and realized that I needed gas," he explained, motioning toward his SUV near the gas pumps.

"Then you don't have any plans," JJ prodded, one hand dropping to the swell of her hip as she narrowed her eyes on her former boss.

"Not any besides laundry," Hotch shrugged.

"Then come with me," JJ offered impulsively, amazed at her own forthrightness. She'd worked with the man in front of her for literally years, but never screwed up the courage to offer him so much as a pillow for the plane ride home...but now, here she was, offering him the ride of his life. "I've got an extra helmet that I think would look pretty good on you. Park the SUV and come for a ride."

"Any particular destination in mind?" Hotch asked, masculine interest gleaming in his eyes.

"It's a wide open road, Hotch," JJ grinned mischievously. "There's no telling where we might find ourselves. You aren't scared, are you?" she goaded.

"Maybe of violating the biker dress code," Hotch noted, his eyes lingering on her body again in the bright sunlight. "But I think I can handle the bike."

"I'll make an exception with the khakis for today," JJ laughed. "And if you enjoy it, I'll even take you on a spree to choose your very own leathers."

"Lead the way, JJ," Hotch replied, gesturing toward her Harley as they stepped onto the cinder sidewalk.

Quickly locating her spare helmet and handing it over, her lips twitched as she watched Hotch awkwardly slip it over his head and fasten the straps. Of all the times not to have a camera...

Feeling his warm body slip behind hers on the bike seat and his strong arms surround her waist, JJ had to wonder...who was giving whom the ride of their life this day?

But the fun of finding out would come later...

_**Finis**_

_**Dedicated to my heroic husband!**_


End file.
